Communication Craze

11/05/2025

Before kids can use language, they have to understand it. Receptive language is the foundation to language. 🧱

Receptive language is how kids make sense of what they hear 👂🏼 , see 👁️ , and experience 🖐🏼 .

1️⃣Understanding → 2️⃣Expression → 3️⃣Communication.

If you want to build 🏗️ your child’s expressive skills, start with the foundation help them understand first. 💡 That means teach. Teach. Teach everything! 💛

11/05/2025

Before a child can use a word 💬, they have to understand 🧠 what it means. That means hearing 👂🏼 it many times, seeing 👁️ it in real life, and connecting ➡️⬅️ it to an experience.

Understanding → imitation → talking.

If they’re not saying it yet, it doesn’t mean they’re not learning. 💛

10/30/2025

Kids don’t learn language by guessing. They learn by hearing 👂🏼 , seeing 👁️ , and experiencing 👏🏼it.

When we say, “Look, ball!” we give them the word and the meaning.
When we ask, “What’s this?” before they understand it, we’re testing, not teaching.

Modeling shows.
Repetition strengthens.
Play connects.

That’s how language grows. 🌱

10/27/2025

There’s a popular idea that kids need to hear a word 10–20 times before it sticks, buuuut… research actually says it depends on HOW those repetitions happen.

🔹 Passive exposure (just hearing 👂🏼 it) helps kids recognize a word.
🔹 Active experiences (seeing 👁️ , touching 🖐🏼 , playing ⚽️ , using 🗣️) help them understand and use it.

Studies on word learning show that children often need multiple meaningful exposures across different contexts (sometimes 6, sometimes 60) before a concept becomes automatic.

The number matters less than quality and variety.
Repetition builds memory. 🧠
Variety builds flexibility. 🤸
Together, they build language. 💬

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10/15/2025

Sentence strips aren’t just for AAC users! 💬
They can be used for all kids learning and building 🧱 language.

Sentence strips make language visual which helps kids see how words fit together, build longer sentences, and organize their thoughts. Visual supports like these make language learning more concrete which helps with memory 🧠 and understanding💡, turning abstract language into something kids can see and use!

10/07/2025

I have a client who has been super interested in Spiderman lately. Not just ANY Spiderman, but THE Spiderman from Spiderman into the spider verse. 🕸️🕷️ He also loves drawing and requesting me to “draw” or trace pictures of Spiderman. Not only did this give him an opportunity to learn the verb “draw” ✍🏼 but he also learned body parts through this activity and will request different parts to be drawn (ex. draw Spiderman leg). He’s had so much fun with this activity that I even made some YouTube videos for him to watch so he can rewind or watch repeatedly, which can be hard to do in real time 💙

10/01/2025

AAC is a bridge to communication 🌉 , not a barrier. Every child deserves access to communication. AAC is one powerful way to give it. Giving a child AAC means giving them a voice right now and building a foundation for their speech and language long-term. 💛📱

08/20/2025

I love this example of pausing and waiting! ⏰ A lot of times I tell parents to ask and pause about 10-30 seconds (depending on the kid and age). It may feel awkward because we live in a society where responses are expected to be immediate. In many cases, our kids need time to process. 🧠 If we keep asking the same question, or ask a bunch of different questions kids may have a hard time answering and will just shut down. Notice how long they pause for before an answer is given 💙♾️

04/02/2025

Love these phrases! It encourages self-awareness, self-monitoring, and critical thinking skills 💛 These self-reflection questions can be asked at any age, but may require more support and modeling for younger children.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DHifa0Do6gC/?igsh=MW84ZDR4ZGdxN3ozZA==

01/28/2025

Love these alternatives 😊💛

Love this ❤️

Credit: We Are Teachers

08/30/2024

🗣️📚Building a Robust Vocabulary📚🗣️
Developing a rich vocabulary is crucial for children's language development and overall communication skills.
Introducing new words in context using SEER can help teach new vocabulary effectively.
✨ Remember SEER when teaching new words:
S: Say the Word (egl, "We are driving in a vehicle:)
E: Explain the word (e.g., "A vehicle is something that takes you from one place to another.")
E: Example/Experience (e.g., "Cars, bikes, boats, and trains are all vehicles.")
R: Repeat the word (e.g., "Say 'vehicle'.")

🔍Strategies for Expanding Vocabulary:
1. Using Rich and Varied Language: Encourage the use of descriptive words in everyday conversations.
2. Reading Books: Read a variety of books to your child and discuss new words.

Using SEER can help make vocabulary relatable and easier to understand.

Which strategy do you find most helpful for building your child's vocabulary? Using rich language🗯️ or Reading books 📖 . Share your thoughts in the comments below! 👇🏼